Detachable heel.



A. V. DES" MOINEAUX.

DETACHABLE HEEL. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8. 1918.

fig 1E WITNESSES Patented Apr. 22,1919.

ALFRED VICTOR DES MOINEAUX, F DENVER, COLORADO.

DETACHABLE HEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

Application filed June 8, 1918. Serial No. 239,048.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I. ALFRED VICTOR DES MOINEAUX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Detachable Heels, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is directed to improvements in removable heels, and has for its primary object to provide a heel of this nature which may be readily attached to the sioe sole or removed therefrom, whereby heels of different materials and styles may be interchanged.

Another object of the invention is to provide a heel constructed in'such a manner that it may be attached to the shoe without the aid of nails, or the services of a shoemaker.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a removable heel having extremely simple means for attaching the same to the sole of the shoe, the attaching means being of such character as to firmly hold the heel in place, and at the same time in no way detract from'the neat appearance of the same.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a holder for the heel which may be quickly attached to the sole of the shoe, said holder having novel means for detachably holding the heel firmly engaged there with, but readily permitting the same to be removed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of key for operating the heel securing means, whereby the heel may be removed from engagement with the holder.

\Vith these and other objects in view, this invention resides in the novel features of construction, formation, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of the heel showing the same in place on a shoe.

Fig. 2 is *a perspective view of the heel and holder, removed.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the heel.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the heel.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the heel.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the holder.

Fig. 7 is a front edge view of the holder.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the spring.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the spring.

1 Fig. 10 is an end view of the spring;

Fig. 11 is a collective view of the reinforcing element.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the key.

Fig. 13 is an end view thereof.

Referring to the drawing, 14: designates the heel, which may be formed from leather, rubber, wood, fiber leather, or from any other material suitable for the purpose, and it will be of course understood that the heels may be made in any size and style deemed desirable. Extending longitudinally of the upper surface of the heel 1% is a groove 15, the forward end of which communicates with a recess 16, said recess having its side walls provided with kerfs 17, the purpose of which will appear later.

Circumscribing the heel 14: is a channel 18', said channel being preferably inclined. as shown in Fig. 4. A holder for the heel is provided, which is formed from suitable sheet metal, and shaped to conform to the heel. The forward edge of the holder, shown in Fig. 2, is provided with an inte gral downwardly extending stop or shoulder 19. The side and rear edges of the holder terminate in downwardly directed sections or sides 20, which in turn terminate in flanges 21, thus producing an integral holder designated generally by the numeral 22 The holder 22 is preferably secured. to the heel portion of the sole by nails or the like which are passed through apertures 23 formed in the body plate of the holder.

Secured in the groove by a suitable scouring device which is passed through an aperture 24 is a bow spring 25, the rear end of which is bent, as at 26 to provide a flat section adapted to bear against the body plate of the holder 22. The forward end 27 of the spring is split in parallel lines to produce a tongue 28, which is bent downwardly and terminates in a rolled lip 29, said lip and tongue being operable in the recess 16 when the heel 14 is being attached.

or detached.

In Fig. 12 the key employed for detaching the heel is shown, said key having a lip 30, and upon opposite sides thereof are webs 31, said lip being designed to engage the rolled lip 29, while the webs slidably engage the kerfs 17 A reinforcing bar 34: is used in connection' with the stop or shoulder 19, and has its ends formed with angnlarly disposed flanges 32 and 33, the former having perforations formed therein for the passage of rivets so that the bar can be secured to the body plate of the holder 22, and at which time the-side edges of the stop 19 abut against the flanges 33, while the bar 34: is flush with the stop, thus firmly bracing said stop.

After the holder 22 is attached to the heel portion of the sole, the heellt is positioned so that the channel 18 will slidably receive the flange 21, whereupon the heel'is slid rearwardly. As the heel 14 is slid reaiwvardly, the rear flat end of the spring 25 slides over the holder 22, and the stop 19 similarly engages the forward end thereof, and at which time the spring expands, the recess 16 permitting the tongue 28 to move downwardly. As soon as the stop 19 disengages the end of the spring 25, the same moves upwardly and engages the rear side of the stop, thus firmly holding the heel against accidental displacement. The spring 25 being bowed, the opposite ends thereof yieldably engage the body plate of the holder 22, thus preventing relative movement between the holder and heel, and consequently preventing any noise.

To remove the heel H it is only necessary to place the lip 30 of the key on the lip 29, and press downwardly until the webs can enter the kerfs 17. After the webs 31 have entered the kerfs 17, and the lip 30 is engaged with the lip 29 it is obvious that the adjacent end of the spring-25 has been moved ddwnwardly into the recess 16 a sufficient distance to disengage the stop 19, whereupon the heel may be readily removed from engagement with the holder. Since the tongue 28 and lip 29 are positioned in the recess 16 the possibility of the same is eliminated, and it is therefore obvious that the heel cannot be removed without the aid of the key.

lVhat is claimed is:

1.. A device of the class described comprising a holder, means for attaching the holder to the heel portion of the sole, a heel slidahle into and out of engagen'ient with the holder, interlocking means carried respecthe accidental operation of tively by the heel and holder, a key for engaging the locking means of the heel to hold the same disengaged from the locking means on the holder, and separate means on the heel forholding the key engaged therewith to hold the locking means thereof inoperative.

2. A device of the class described comprising a holder for attachment to the heel. portion of' the sole, a flange carried by the holder, a stop carried by the holder, aheel having. a channel for slidably engaging the flange, said heel'having a longitudinal groove formed therein, a bow springseeured in the groove and having its forward end adapted to detaclia-bly engage th stop and its rear end adapted to yieldably engage the holder, a tongue on the forward end of the spring terminating, in a lip, said heel having a recess formed in its forward end and having its side walls provided with kerfs, and a key for engaging the lip and .kerfs toholdthe forward endof the spring out of engagement with the stop.

3. A detachable heel comprising incombination, a holder for attachment to the heel portion of th sole, a heel slidable into and out of engagement with the holder, said heel having a recess formed in its forward face and provided with dian'retrically arran ed kerfs, a stop carriedby the holder, a bow spring carried by the heel and having its forward end. adapted to detachably' engage the stop, a lip. associated with the spring, and a key having a lip and webs on the side thereof, the last named lipbeingadapted to engage the first named lip-when the webs are engaged in the kerfs, whereby the forward end of the spring is held out of engagement with the stop. f

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in the presence'of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED VIGTORDES MOINEAUX. Witnesses NEIL OKEEFE, FRANK MOGEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fivecents each, by. addressingi ft e Commissioner of Patents,-

' Washington, vID. (7. 

